Hot Springs, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced today that Lessie Gallo, age 39, of Hot Springs, Arkansas, was sentenced to a total of 300 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance that Contained Methamphetamine. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Hot Springs.
In the summer of 2019, Detectives with the 18th East Judicial District Drug Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration launched an investigation into Gallo for drug trafficking in the Western District of Arkansas. The investigation determined that Gallo was the head of an extensive drug distribution network that operated primarily in the Western District of Arkansas. In July and August of 2019, detectives conducted multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Gallo.
Gallo was indicted by a federal grand jury in October of 2019, and entered a guilty plea in February of 2020.
This case was investigated by, the 18th East Judicial District Drug Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations Little Rock, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the 18th East Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Bryan Achorn and Special Assistant United States Attorney Trent Daniels prosecuted the case for the Western District of Arkansas.